Connecting mechanism



July 15 .wl924.

E. H. SCHWARZ GONNECTING M ECHANISM Filed Ilarch 3, 19'2] W\NN M. sli mw .mw www N m. .M NN w u. n m f u www. n. Fw QM. N NM. NN \m n Nw O I uw. mw Nv O K. m. Q R. NM,

ff M gaz-'17e [Min-5mg Patented July 1571924.

ELITEB 1T. SCHWARZ, -OE EORT LEE, NEW JERSEY, AssTGNoa To THE DAYTON EN- 41,501,497 PATENT OFFICE.

l GINEEEING LABORATORIES' OOMPANY, or DAYTON, Oruro, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

GONNECTING MEGHANISMI.

Application tiled March 3, 1921. Serial No. 449,457.

A To all whom t may concern.' i.

Be it known that I, ELMER H'. SCHWARZ, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Fort Lee, county of" Bergen, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connecting Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. l

This invention relates to mechanisms con` trolling the mechanical connection between a normally disconnectedv gear and rotatable member, and is especially adapted for use in controlling the connection of an electric motor with the flywheel gear of an internalcombustion engine for the purpose of starting the engine. v

One object of the invention is to efect the connecting of the motor with the engine gear by means which is entirely independent of the motion of the motor so that this connection can be substantially completed before the motor is caused to operate. The aim of the invention therefore is to reduce to the `minimum the possibility of damage to the engine gear orto the pinion .driven by the i motor as the pinion is moved into engagement with the engine gear so that the motor may crank the engine.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present inventionis lclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electric motor and the mechanism for connecting the same with an engine gear;

Figs. 2 to 4 inclusivel are sectional views taken on lines 2-2, 3 3, and 4-4, respectively, of Fig. l.

In the drawings; an electric motor 20 in-v cludes afield frame 21 supporting poles 22.

surrounded by field windings Frame 21 supports bea-rings24and 25 upon which is jonrnalled an armature shaft 26 carrying windings 27 .located upon a core 28 normally slightly decentered from poles 22. Shaft 26 carries a commutator 29 connected with windings 27. A spring 30 normally maintains the core 28 in decentered position with a frictiondisc 31, which is carried by shaft 26. in engagement with the frame 21. In this way rotation ofv the shaft 26 is yieldingly resisted when the motor is at rest.

Brushes32 and bear upon commutator 29.

The shaft 26 has a splined connection with a clutch member 40 which is provided with notches 4I in which are located rollers 42 pressed by springs 43. The clutch member 444 is journalled upon member 4() and is procollar 57 havinga sleeve extension 58 splined upon the shaft 45 and provided with a stop shoulder 59. Sleeve 58 supports pins or screws 60 engaging diametrically opposed oblique slots 61 provided in a hub 62 of the pinion 63. Pinion 63 is ,adapted to engage the gear 64 of a' rotating part 65 such as the flywheel of an engine (not shown).

The hub 62 4is lprovided with a shoulder 66 for engaging a plunger 67 to close con- Y tac-ts 68, 69.' Contact 69 is connected by wire 70 with battery 71 grounded at 72. Wire 73 connects contact 68 with field c oil 23, connected to the upper-coil 23 by wire 74. Upper coil 23 is connected to brush v32 by wire 75, and lower brush 33 is grounded p at 76.

To connect the motor shaft 26 with the iiywheel 65, the pedal 52 is depressed causing the movement to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, of parts 57, 58, 60, 62 and 63. In case enmeshment takes place without colliding of gear teeth, then the continued downward movement of pedal 52 will cause the pinion 63 to come substantially fully into mesh with gear 64, before the shoulder 66 will have pushed the plunger 67 down far enough to close Vcontacts 68, 69. In this way the gears are engaged before the motor circuit is closed Land the liability of stripping gear teeth is reduced to the minimum.

In case the teeth 0fy pinion 63 collide with this takes place enmeshment of these gears can be effected and the motor circuit closed as p-revlously described. The rotation of the pinion 63 by the use of pedal 52 takes place in the direction of arrow 80.V As pinion 63 is cammed around, there will be a reaction on pins 60 tending to rotate the sleeve 58 and shaft 45 in the direction opposite to arrow 80. Such a motion of shaft 45 would tend to drive shaft 26 through clutch members 42,43, 44, 45. Movement of shaft 26 is prevented, however, b the brake device 30, 31 described. When t 1e motor .is energized by closing contacts 68, 69, this brake device is released since the field magnets 22, 23 will draw the armature core 28 into symmetrical relation therewith, and then the motor can turn the gear 64'without hindrance from the `brake device.

From thevforegoing it is apparent that the mechanism which connects the motor with gear 64 operates independentl of vany movement' of the motor, and that t erefore the connectionofzthe motor with the engine gear can be substantially completed before the motor circuit is established. Since the teeth of the gear arefully in power transmitting osition there is' very little liab1l1ty of 'brealiing gear .teeth when the motor begins to operate.

A light spring 81 and a ball bearing 82 v are interposed between the grooved collar 57 and the shoulder 66 in order yieldingly to maintain the slots 61 and pins 60 in the relation shown in Fig. 1.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to b e understood that other forms might be.'

adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What I claim is as follows:

1. In a connecting mechanism, the combination with an overrunning clutch and a driving member, having. a rotatable shaft connected therewith through said clutch; of a Sleeve splined on said shaft; a gear; a pmlon adapted to engage said gear; a pin and oblique slot connection between said p1n.1on' and sleeve; a spring for normally maintaming said' pin and oblique slot in fixed relation; and means for shifting said sleeve.

2: In a connecting mechanism, the combination with an overrunning clutch and a motor having a rotatable shaft connected therewith through .said clutch; of a sleeve sphned on said shaft; a gear; a pinion adapted to engage said gear; a pin and obhque slot connection between said inionand sleeve; a spring for normally malntaindriving `member having a rotatable shaft connected therewith through said clutch; of a gear; a pinion adapted to mesh with said gear; means for connecting said shaft and said pinion including provisions for shifting said pinion and turning said pinion in case the pinion teeth collide with the gear teeth; a brake tending to' prevent rotation of said shaft when the pinion is being turned by said provisions; and means for releasing said brake when the pinion is substantially fully in mesh with said gear.-

4. In a connecting mechanism, the combination with a device having a rotatable shaft-connected therewith; of a gear; a pin-V ion adapted to mesh with said gear; means for connecting said shaft and said pinion including provisions for shifting said pinion and turning said pinion in case vthe pinion teeth collide with the gear teeth; -a brake tending to prevent rotation of said shaft when Ithe pinion isA being turned by said provisions; electromagnetic 'means' for releasing said brake; a switch for controlling said electromagnetic means; and a member for closing said switch when the pinionis substantially fully in meshv with said gear. y

5. In a connecting mechanism, the combination with a motor having a brake for maintaining the armature shaft stationary, and a 'spring for normally 'setting said brake by decentering the motor armature, of a gear; a pinion adapted to mesh with said gear; means for connecting said pinion and shaft including provisions for shlftlng said signature.

ELMER' H.. SCHWARZ.

Witnesses:

H. E. SOLLENBERGER, I. A. GREENWALD. 

